Effective Responses to Disruption in Canada's Agri-Food Sectors

Peter W.B. Phillips' presentation on preliminary field research on the economic and institutional transformation in the Canadian agri-food sector as well as a range of policy issues that arise from the new configuration of value.

Presented by Murray Fulton, Professor, JSGS; and Director, Centre for the Study of Co-operatives

Sharp food price rises, such as the one in rice in 2007, are a key element of food security – they are a source of social unrest and can cause malnutrition, hunger and death. These price spikes are often made worse by export restrictions imposed by exporting countries. In Vietnam, a political elite appears to have used export restrictions as a way of maintaining power and capturing significant economic benefits. Given this political element, food security will remain an elusive goal, since the changes required to alter the political economy of rice policy in countries like Vietnam occur only if other much more fundamental economic and political changes take place.

Socio-hydrology - Human Dimensions of Water Science in the Saskatchewan River Basin

Presented by Patricia Gober, JSGS Professor Emeritus

Socio-hydrology is an important research component of the University of Saskatchewan's Global Institute for Water Security and JSGS Professor Emerita Patricia Gober. Socio-hydrology integrates people and their activities into water science to lead to better decision-making.